Anabel Rose’s debut EP Something About a Rose introduced the Filipino Ghanaian singer as an interlocutor of sorts, parsing discourse between lovers, generations, and past trauma. On How Do the Flowers Bloom?, released a little under two years later, the singer trains the lens of those conversations on herself, interrogating the parameters of free will and the myriad directions that choices can spiral down. On “Imperfect Daughters,” she’s peeling back the layers of rejecting familial expectations: “If I worked hard I would make it/But sometimes your/Life makes other plans,” she sings atop sweeping piano swirls. She’s feeling deliriously sexy on the hypnotic “Blasé,” deftly bending EDM, Afrobeats, and R&B to her will for another showcase of autonomy. In service to her talents as one of the continent’s most promising alt-pop stars, a wealth of African artists show up on How Do the Flowers Bloom?. Nigerian singer Dre Foryoursoul lends his voice to a call for inner clarity on “Peace of Mind,” and Kenyan star Xenia Manasseh slips into a steamy duet about making the most of a date. Abuja-based singer Jiire Smith beams in “Happiness is Free,” a powerful conclusion to a suite of songs about coming to terms with personal decisions and their resultant effects.